Oct 30, Colombo: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has offered financial aid worth US$ 60 million (Saudi Riyal 225 million) for the construction of road networks in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka today signed the agreement with the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) for the financial assistance in the presence of President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Temple Trees Tuesday (30).

Sri Lanka's Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and Planning Dr. P.B. Jayasundera finalized the agreement during his visit in March to the SFD headquarters in Riyadh.

Senior Minister of International Monetary Cooperation Dr. Sarath Amunugama signed the agreement on behalf of Sri Lanka and President of the SFD and Saudi Finance Minister Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf signed on behalf of the Kingdom.

The SFD had offered financial assistance for several projects that are now completed. As part of the current initiative, the Sri Lankan government would build several roads in all parts of the country.

Ministers Rishad Bathiyutheen, Deputy Minister Nirmala Kotelawala, and Dr. Jayasundera were present at the event today.

(Photos by Chandana Perera)